Key Coincidence
by BlueArcticWolf
Summary: The first two times Itachi ended up with Sakura's keys, she shrugged it off as coincidence. The third time made her wonder if an Uchiha was capable of stalking. What would Sasuke's older brother want with her? ItaSaku Non-Massacre AU. For Juniper11.


**This is a trade fic for Juniper11, who was so kind as to take an idea that I gave her. Thanks again! **

**Pairing: Itachi/Sakura**

**Prompt: Key**

**Rating: T**

**This is an AU, by the way. Enjoy everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I mean, there are soooo many things I'd change….**

**KEY COINCIDENCE**

* * *

The first time Itachi ended up with one of Sakura's keys, it was pure coincidence. The young kunoichi had become desperately ill one wintry day. Her illness was due to the fact that she, Naruto, Sasuke and Sai had trudged through the Land of Spring during a blizzard. They had just procured several key ingredients to a multitude of medicines that Tsunade had been in desperate need of, as well as stopped by to visit Princess Yukie. She'd asked them to stay for a few days because while this was the Land of Spring now, winter still came here and a blizzard was brewing. They politely declined and pressed onward. This occurred because Naruto had no patience and Team Seven lived on the idea of "all for one and one for all." So, after spending almost four hours in blinding wind and freezing snow, the small band made it to the border of the white wonderland to find that their _own _country was in the midst of its first hard winter in almost a decade. Thankfully, Sakura had been able to talk Naruto into stopping for the night, and they made camp in a damp cave.

Only because of chakra circulation did no one lose any extremities. It was a hard night as most of their belongings were soaked through, and while they were able to change clothes, the chill in their bones was not abated. It helped that Sasuke was able to use a specialized fire jutsu that could speed up the drying of both skin and clothes, and Sakura did a once over on the boys with her depleted chakra, strengthening immune systems and stimulating blood flow. However, this sorely hurt her own warming process, but she rebuked any attempts to return the favor.

When they finally arrived in Konoha, Sakura felt the earth beginning to dip and a sharp pain began to permeate her joints. Sasuke put a steadying hand on her elbow while Naruto took her pack. Sai went on ahead to report to Tsunade, promising with that fake smile of his to explain their lateness to their leader. When they reached Hokage tower, Tsunade had immediately sent Sakura home with strict orders to rest and eat, barring her from any missions for the next few days. There had been no protests as Sakura was escorted home by her worried friends, though she had expressed embarrassment for being such a bother. She was met with dark stares and an apologetic Naruto.

The boys had deposited her in her apartment with promises to return the following day with soups and ramen. Sasuke filched a key from under the doormat when Sakura wasn't looking, and after wringing a promise that she would call the moment she needed them, the males of Team Seven departed.

So, here she was, lounging in a sea of red sheets and fluffy pillows, watching old movies and sipping some hot tea. Her head swam with dizziness and her nose ran like a waterfall, but she was comfortable. Her roommate Ino was not home as she was on a mission, so the large apartment was quiet except for the sounds of the TV and the falling snow and ice outside her window. The pink-haired girl was just settling in to read her newest romance novel when she heard the unmistakable sound of a key turning into the lock. It was probably Naruto coming in, but she wanted to be sure.

"Oh, for da lub ob everyting 'oly…" she sniffed out, flopping over to the side of the bed to reach for a fluffy pink robe. She slipped it on with an exaggerated sniff and toed into her slippers. After navigating through the messy room and into the hall, the very sick kunoichi decided to _kill_ Naruto when she saw him. However, as the door finally opened, Sakura didn't know who was more surprised; the Uchiha prodigy staring at her in all of her flu-touched-fluffy robe-glory, or herself. Uchiha Itachi was indeed standing in the doorway, holding a steaming bowl of what smelled like Mikoto-san's wonton soup in his gloved hands.

"Uchiha-san?" she asked in surprise. He nodded slowly and moved forward, closing the door behind him.

"Sakura-san. I'm sorry for the intrusion, but my Otouto could not make it over here today. It seems that he too was struck by the flu and has sent me with his apologies." Sakura was still standing with glazed eyes, watching the most handsome man in Konoha standing quite awkwardly in her doorway. Somewhere in the back of her mind her Inner was screaming at her to invite him in instead of standing there looking for the entire world like a retarded loon, but the fact that _the _Uchiha Itachi was here in _her_ house kind of overrode that suggestion. It took a rather loud clearing of a perfect male throat and the shifting of a perfect male body to bring her back to reality. She shook herself out of her cough medicine-induced haze and immediately blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh, Uchiha-san! You didn't hab to come ober 'ere. I'm sorry you hab to see me like dis…" Itachi smirked gently and held out the soup.

"This is something my mother sent over. When she heard about your being sick, it sent her into a fit, and she began to make soup. It didn't help that Sasuke got sick as well." Sakura smiled weakly and took the proffered bowl. She thanked him again and as he turned to leave, she stopped him.

"Wait, how dib you get in 'ere?" he chuckled.

"I had your key." It was only after he was gone that Sakura realized he still had it.

* * *

The second time Itachi got a hold of Sakura's keys, it was two weeks later and the girl began to wonder if perhaps the older Uchiha was stalking her, but put it off as yet another simple case of coincidence. The second incident happened when she and the boys were at a hot springs resort in Mist; a reward for filling the most quotas of missions out of the many teams that made up Konoha's greatest. Sakura and Naruto were walking into the lobby to get their room keys when Sakura spotted a familiar figure.

"Naruto! Wait. Who is that over there?" the Fox boy turned with interested eyes towards the direction in which Sakura's finger pointed. He pondered for a moment before speaking.

"That looks like Itachi-teme. He's Teme's older brother. You know, the lead stuck up snob in the Uchiha house?" Sakura clucked her tongue and smacked her friend in the arm.

"Hey! That's rude. Besides, you like Mikoto-san, and I heard you the other day when you said you thought Fugaku-san was fun to play Crazy Bridge with." Naruto pouted for a moment before shrugging.

"It depends on the day, I guess," he said flippantly. "Ok, so where are Sai and Teme?" Sakura rolled her eyes as she approached the desk. The figure she and Naruto had just been discussing turned to face her. Naruto had been right; it was Itachi. Sakura gave him a nervous smile and turned to the desk attendant.

"I need the keys for rooms eight and ten please?" the attendant took her proof of registry and began to rummage for the keys. Naruto had wandered off to terrorize the overtly large koi in the lobby's large pond, leaving Sakura to fend for herself. She sighed at his childish natured but smiled wryly. A gently cleared throat startled her, and the young kunoichi turned towards the noise. Itachi was still standing by her side, and to keep from being rude, Sakura offered a tentative hello. The older male returned it quietly.

"So, are you here on business, Uchiha-san?" Itachi shook his head.

"No, I am here to relax. Tsunade-sama decided that I had done enough missions for this month and sent me here to recuperate."

"Oh, were you injured?" Sakura kicked herself internally when she said it, but the words were out and he was eyeballing her with interest.

"Yes, actually. I ran into some Cloud shinobi who had some rather interesting weapons. Tsunade-sama healed what she could, but said that spending some time here would increase the healing process." Sakura thought for a moment, debating on whether or not she should offer her assistance. However, her kind heart won out over her wariness, and before she could turn chicken, she spoke.

"I might be able to do some more healing if you'd like, Uchiha-san. After you've spent a few hours in the springs, come find me and I'll take a look." It was a well known fact that Sakura was the apprentice of Tsunade, and the ANBU captain was not going to refuse the healings of a near expert.

"That is acceptable. I shall meet you in the north hot springs tonight." With that, he turned and walked away. Sakura was startled when she heard Sasuke's angry voice in her ear.

"What, pray tell, are you doing flirting with my older brother? And better yet, why weren't you watching the dobe?" Sakura's confused eyes landed on the unlucky third of the bunch. Naruto was dripping from head to toe, looking for all the world like a drowned fox. It was obvious that he had been leaning too close to the edge of the pond and had fallen in. By the looks of Sai, who had come up to stand beside Naruto, it seemed that the paint wielder had been the one to fish the blonde from the pond. Naruto was pouting while Sai poked him randomly, commenting on this and that, riling up the shorter shinobi until Sasuke stepped in to play mediator. Sakura hissed under her breath and nabbed Naruto's ear, turning her sharp tongue on Sasuke as she did so.

"For your information, I may speak with whomever I please, and it just so happened that your brother is staying here as well." Sasuke's brows drew together in a dark line.

"Why? This has got to be the work of my mother. Only she would dare to intrude on my privacy and vacation time. How many times do I need to stress that I no longer need a babysitter?!" Sakura rolled her eyes at the well known speech and hastily pulled the now brooding Uchiha along beside her as the four made their way to their rooms.

"He's not here for you, Mister Conceited. He's here to rest and recuperate from a mission, Tsunade-sama's orders." Sakura stopped at her room and turned to her friend.

"Look, we've earned this rest. Go unpack, get some steam from the springs, and when its all over I'll give you and the others one of my famous massages, okay?" Sasuke's ears perked up at the idea of getting one of Sakura's massages. With her precise chakra control and strength, the deep tissue shiatsu she applied was to die for. Never had the young Uchiha experienced such relaxation. He grunted his assent and unlocked the room he would be sharing with Sai. Sakura unlocked her and Naruto's room and lugged her bag inside. It was a nicely decorated room; full of tranquil paintings of nature scenes, quiet colors and lavender incense. The glossy wood floors were covered by thick carpets of silk thread, and the rooms were specious with a balcony overlooking a private springs.

Sakura made her way to the bedroom and slowly began to unpack, looking forward to the relaxing evening and the next encounter with the elder Uchiha.

* * *

**_Two hours later…_**

Sakura sunk a bit lower into the water and sighed in bliss. Naruto had bounded into their rooms not long after Sakura had unpacked, overly excited about every little thing, especially the buffet that had been promised later on this evening. He had quickly changed into his swimming shorts and a towel and had dashed outside to the men's springs. Sakura had wasted no time in following suit. It turned out that the little spring her room overlooked was specifically provided for the three suites that were located next to it. This meant she would not have to share it with too many people. So far she had spent a good hour and a half just floating by herself, listening to the war whoops and splashes ricocheting off the bamboo walls that separated the men's side from the women's. The occasional scuffle and fuss could be heard, but even the rowdy boys calmed down eventually.

When she decided to emerge from the spring, Sakura noticed that near the edge of the clearing opposite to the hotel, there sat a wide opening that obviously led to some sort of steaming room. These were common for those that did not wish to immerse themselves in the hot water of the spring, and a much cooler pool was usually situated close by so that patrons would not become overheated. After gathering her bundle of over shirt and towel, Sakura picked her way around to the small hut, and noticed a rather long, rather skimpily clad body lying close to the pool. It was very much a man, and with raven hair like that, Sakura suspected Sasuke. However, she was just approaching when she sensed that the chakra signature of this man was indeed Uchiha, but was _not_ Sasuke.

"Oh!" she gasped and turned to leave, but of course the body stiffened and the head turned in her direction, though Sakura knew that he had known of her presence long before she sensed his.

"Uchiha-san, forgive me! I didn't mean to intrude…" her face was red as his onyx eyes came to rest upon her person. He smirked gently and beckoned.

"No, Sakura-san, don't apologize. I was just doing a bit of relaxing before I came to find you. It would be nice if we could kill two birds with one stone. And also, its Itachi. Uchiha-san is my father." Sakura blushed and stepped back. She did not notice Itachi's eyes darken and narrow as he gauged her escape.

"This wouldn't be proper, ...Itachi-san. I will be happy to see to your wounds later, but I-"

"We are here now," he interrupted, "Could you not simply check my wounds? Is that too much to ask?" Sakura could have sworn he was using a mixture of guilt and begging had it not been for the fact that this was indeed Uchiha Itachi she was dealing with. With a long suffering sigh that said she knew all too well the stubborn will of the Uchiha Clan, Sakura acquiesced to his plea. She settled her bundle next to his shoulder as she dropped to her knees at his side. She had noticed he had been favoring his left side when she had first seen him, and even now as he lay silently, she recognized how gingerly he treated that side; not lying on it and moving jerkily as he shifted to a more comfortable position. There was a large reddish yellow welt that was raised and ugly red as it spread from several small puncture holes near the middle of his ribcage.

"You said Tsunade-sama saw this?" she asked suspiciously. Her Shishou would never have allowed him to leave the hospital with such a wound. He chuckled lowly and shook his head.

"No, this I received on my way here. I was doing a simple A-rank mission when I ran into some rather fierce Mist nin. They weren't too happy to see me, and gave me this as a warning that I must tread carefully in their territory." Sakura clucked her tongue and set to work, healing the damage that the poison had wrought upon his internal organs and muscles. she also perused and soothed whatever stretched or sore muscles she could find. There was not too much left to be healed, but the young medic decided that a gentle massage of the newly healed area would go far in advancing the process. She did not realize how slow and methodical her hands had become until the soft breathing of her patient reached her ears. She knew that while he dozed, it was light and bordering alertness, but she took pride in the idea that even Uchiha Itachi could fall under the ministrations of her skilled fingers. She soon fell into a rhythm, her fingers pushing, pulling and kneading as she worked the muscles along his side and up towards his back. Itachi sensed that while on some level she was aware that her hands and fingers had begun to spread from the area of his wound towards the rest of his back, she seemed to be almost entranced in her work. He decided not to say or do anything to break her from that suspension. He grunted softly when she pressed too hard, or suppressed a moan when she hit just the right spot.

The time seemed to stretch onwards for several hours, but in actuality only lasted for an hour or two. Itachi sensed the chakra signatures of his brother and his friends rapidly approaching, and thus decided to end this session, albeit grudgingly.

"Sakura-san, I believe your team mates are headed this way." Sakura jerked as though she'd been struck and looked down at the man under her hands.

"Oh, Itachi-san, I'm so sorry! I've lost track of time…" she began to hurriedly grab her things and stand to her feet. She gave an awkward bow, babbling all the while, and then turned and dashed off. Itachi shook his head and sighed. He had never felt this loose before. Her hands had indeed worked miracles on the muscles he had forced to be stiff and cramped. He reluctantly pushed himself up off the ground and proceeded to gather his things. It was then that he noticed the flat, shiny key that was hidden under a clump of grass. He checked his shorts pocket to find his own.

'_That must mean that this one belongs to her...'_

* * *

Sakura ran pell-mell towards her room, blushing like a tomato and inwardly kicking herself. What must Itachi-san think of her, acting like that? She didn't want to think of how she must've looked!

As the extremely embarrassed kunoichi slid in front of her door a few minutes later, she was shocked and horrified to find that she had no key, and thanks to her stern admonishment towards Naruto about keeping the room door locked, she was barred from the privacy in her room. The knowledge that she stood dripping wet clad in her tiny swim suit and a wet towel fell upon her like a ton of bricks. She squelched over to Sasuke and Sai's room to find them out and about. Sakura figured they had either fallen asleep in the hot springs or had migrated to the buffet that was being served in the main hall. A tap on her shoulder snapped her out of her reverie.

"I believe this is yours." Sakura turned very slowly to find a smirking Uchiha behind her. Too bad it wasn't Sasuke. Uchiha Itachi was clad in nothing but his shorts and a towel. Both rode low on his lean hips, leaving his delicious expanse of chest and arms exposed. Sakura tried to steel her eyes from roving over said chest like a dog might eye a roast. She shook her head and cleared her throat.

"Oh, umm… thank you, Uchiha-san." She reached for the key, only to have him jerk it just out of her reach. She looked at him curiously.

"Uchiha-san, I need my-"

"You are a very interesting woman, Sakura."

"Interesting, Uchiha-san?"

"Please, call me Itachi, you did once before. Twice, actually." Sakura blushed and reached again for her key. Again, it sat just out of her reach.

"When something interests me, my entire focus rests upon it until I have learned what I wish to know. I wish to know you, Sakura."

"What is there to know? I'm Head Medic under Tsunade-sama, a member of Team Seven, a kunoichi of Konoha… just your average girl." Itachi chuckled softly, causing chills to run up and down Sakura's spine.

"Of course I know all of that. I meant that I wish to know _you_, Sakura. You personally. What you like, what you hate. What brings you pleasure, what brings you heartache. I want to know the girl behind the kunoichi. Therefore, I have decided to acquaint myself with you." Sakura gaped uncomprehendingly.

"Are you… are you asking me to date you, Itachi?" again, he chuckled.

"Perhaps. However, a drafty hallway where all manner of ears can hear is not a suitable place to carry this conversation. I shall meet with you once we return to the village."

"Hey," Sakura snorted, her temper rising to the surface at being told what to do as if he were her ANBU captain, "You can't just-" a kiss stopped her tirade. In fact, once he had fully swept her into his arms, all coherent thoughts ceased.

She had read her fair share of romance novels, as well as listened to Ino and Tsunade speak in frank words as they described what it was like to be kissed. However, nothing could have prepared her for the scent and heat and strength of the man who held her.

His tongue took control of her mouth, sweeping in a staking claim, a wet heat that stole her breath and her will. His one hand cupped the back of her head to steady her while the other stole to her hip to bring them closer. He didn't just kiss, though. He sipped and tasted. His teeth came out to nip at her lower lip, then his tongue followed to soothe the sting. Her head fell back to expose her neck, and as those questing teeth made their way downwards, she felt reality slipping away…

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL?!" Naruto's voice penetrated the foggy haze that had held Sakura captive. She pushed away quickly and looked towards her fox brother. Said boy stormed down the hallway and firmly planted himself in between Sakura and Itachi. The elder man only smirked and allowed it. Sakura was shocked when Sai and Sasuke appeared seconds later.

"You'd better leave, Aniki. This isn't the type of girl you have your flings with." Sasuke's uttered warning was like icy water for Sakura.

_A simple fling? And I fell for it like some simpering… GRRRRR!_

"Itachi, it seems you are still in possession of my key." Itachi seemed surprised to hear her voice, but did not hesitate to hand over the requested item. His eyes promised a sinful reunion when he got her alone again, but Sakura was too embarrassed to respond. With as much dignity as she could muster, she unlocked the door to the suite and allowed her watchdogs to deal with the elder Uchiha.

For the rest of the night, Sakura stayed in the suite, pretending to pour over some of the medical scrolls she had brought along. However, her mind was on Itachi and his actions earlier. Her initial reaction to Sasuke's declaration was anger and resentment, but as she thought about it, Itachi hadn't seemed flippant about wanting to get to know her. She debated on whether or not she would give him the benefit of the doubt, and in the end fell asleep slumped over her scrolls.

This was how Naruto found her when he finally dragged himself away from the game of poker he and the other boys had been playing. The future Hokage had a surprising knack for the game, and had won a few dollars from the Uchiha. Sai on the other hand had nearly wiped the two of them out completely. It seemed that having no emotions did have its plus sides. Naruto shook his head when he heard a very unladylike grunt emanating from Sakura's room. The curious boy thought nothing of sliding open the thin panel that separated their rooms. Sakura was huddled over her scrolls, making awful noises and talking in her sleep. So, because he had no desire to wake her, Naruto took a blanket from her bed and draped it across her form. He smiled at his handiwork and slipped out as quietly as he had entered.

When Sakura woke up feeling like an old woman, she took her pain out on the blonde, berating him for not laying her down. They left the springs and returned to Konoha with no further problems.

* * *

The third time Itachi had possession of Sakura's key, the young woman was absolutely sure the man was following her about, though to this day she had never been able to prove it.

Sakura sighed as she sanitized her hands. The birthing had been a long one, but she was proud to show off the screaming twins to their anxious father. The pink haired girl walked slowly to where the mother of said twins lay panting, sweat dripping from her brow.

"Well, Anko-san, those boys sure can scream, " Sakura said as she set the twins in the arms of their mom. The new mother nodded with a cocky smile.

"They get that from me. Can I see my husband now? I'm sure he's been givin' everyone hell and havin' a cow. You shoulda seen him when I went into labor!" Anko laughed heartily and then promptly turned her attention to her two boys. Sakura smiled and walked to the door, sliding it open to reveal a very stressed and tense Umino Iruka.

"You may come in now, Iruka-sensei." He turned to her with wide eyes, and rushed past her as he saw his wife and sons. Sakura sighed as the two parents embraced and lavished attention on their newborns. She was so caught up in the touching sight that she didn't notice Tsunade until the Godaime was tapping her shoulder.

"The birthing went well, I see." Sakura smiled tiredly and nodded.

"Anko-san was very strong. She got through it like a champ. I think Iruka-sensei was more worried than her." Tsunade laid a critical eye on her student, assessing the slumping shoulders and baggy eyes.

"Go home, Sakura. Get some rest and come back on Monday. I don't want to see you until then." Tsunade refused to listen to any protests, and before she knew it, Sakura was bundled up and on her way into the snow. It was a beautiful night, but the young woman paid no heed to the pristine whiteness of the world surrounding her as she trudged home. She made it home without freezing to death, and heaved a long sigh as she came to her door. Fishing around in her deep coat pockets, her numbing fingers grasped for her key. She _knew _she'd put it in here earlier… frustration and anger began to take over as her fingers came up with nothing. Angrily yanking her hand out of her pocket, she hunkered down and lifted the worn green doormat at her feet. A hissed curse fell from her lips as she saw nothing but frozen concrete.

"DAMMIT!" the girl huffed furiously and stomped her foot, minus chakra of course. She was just contemplating breaking in when she heard a clearing of a throat somewhere off to her left. She groaned as she recognized the chakra signature. She had no desire to deal with _him_ tonight.

"Itachi, to what may I owe the honor of your presence?" the older shinobi chuckled as he came to her side, his warmth enveloping her body as he disregarded her personal bubble.

"I must say, Sakura, it has become quite a job coming to your rescue." At this odd statement, he produced her key, smirking at the way her eyes widened.

"How-you-I..." her voice trailed off as his arm reached across her chest to insert the key into the lock. He herded her inside as the door swung open, never once giving her any room to escape. Her heart began to race as he closed the door behind him. However, he suddenly moved away, striding across her living room as if he owned it. Before she could demand that he explain himself, he was pulling a saucepan from her cabinets and rummaging through her pantry.

"Sakura, sit down before you fall." The girl wobbled over to her couch and slumped down into it, exhaustion taking over her. Sleep came like a cloud over her senses, carrying her away on gentle waves. She tried to keep her eyes open, knowing that she needed to run Itachi out, but her arms became like lead and her feet felt rooted to the floor. She was asleep before Itachi was finished with his concoction.

* * *

**_A Few Hours Later (Give or Take)..._**

Sakura awoke to the smell of something sweet. Groaning softly, she sat up and rubbed her left eye, yawning widely. She looked out the window to find it dark, her internal clock telling her it was well into late evening.

_I feel like I should be remembering something, but… OH!_

Emerald eyes sought out the dark figure in the plush chair to her right. He sat comfortably, reading a book and sipping on her favorite blue mug. It was interesting, as that mug had been filched from the Uchiha house last summer when Sakura and Naruto had been roped into helping Sasuke clean the manor. It was dark blue, with the Uchiha crest raised on both sides. The cups were to be gotten rid of, as they were out of date, but Sakura took pity on the pieces of ceramic ware and took three. Naruto broke one, and Kakashi had stepped on the other. But then, that was neither here nor there.

"Why are you still here?" Itachi flicked an ebony gaze her way before continuing his reading.

"Shinobi rule number seven: never leave a comrade vulnerable." Sakura rolled her eyes and slowly stood to her feet. Itachi set down his book and eyed her with lazy interest.

"What are you drinking?" Sakura had begun to fidget under his heavy gaze.

"Hot coco. Would you care for some?"

"You cook?" a dark chuckle met her ears.

"Of course."

"Well, then… okay, I guess." The man stood silently, stalking to her kitchen with all of the grace of a wolf. Sakura followed warily, trying to gather the nerve to demand that he leave. However, he hadn't done anything wrong, and it seemed as though he meant no harm in being here.

"Here." Her train of thought was broken when he handed her a steaming cup of hot heaven. She brought it to her lips and sipped appreciatively.

"This… is really good." Itachi raised an eyebrow at her surprised tone.

"Of course it is. It's my mother's recipe." Sakura smiled and took another sip.

"It's better than Kakashi-sensei's, and that's saying something. He makes the best hot coco in the world, and…" she trailed off, realizing she was rambling. He only smiled and leaned against the counter.

"I am sorry I forced myself into your home, Sakura-san, but I wish to ask you for a favor. It has to do with your medical expertise." Sakura's interest was piqued. She sat down her cup and tentatively took a step closer to the man whose presence made the room shrink.

"What do you want?"

"Besides beginning the process of getting to know you? I need a skilled medic on my ANBU squad, and Tsunade-sama recommended you. However, she stressed that it must be your decision." Sakura stared, completely caught off guard. He… wanted her to be his medic?

"Really? You want me on your team?" the Uchiha nodded.

"And you really want to get to know me? this isn't some... fling?" His dark eyes bored into hers, his answer plain to see.

"Fine."

"Fine? That's it? No questions?" Sakura shook her head. Itachi looked at her shrewdly for a moment before nodding.

"Good. Our next mission is in one week. Be ready." He stepped past her and made his way to her door. She followed slowly, feeling somewhat bereft. He was just slipping on his boots when he stopped.

"Sakura, I forgot something." She looked up at him, surprised. He advanced on her slowly, and she did not resist as he scooped her up into his arms and kissed her. It was deep, much like their first, with fire and passion. His tongue slipped past her lips to take possession of her mouth, branding her with his taste. His fingers slid into her hair, holding her still as he plundered. She kissed back, digging her fingers into his scapulae, leaving tiny half moons in the scarred skin. The kiss seemed endless, but all too soon he was pulling back with a gentle smirk.

"Hello. I'm Uchiha Itachi." Sakura blinked like a tired owl, then smiled softly.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you, Itachi." He bent and stole another kiss, his sharp teeth worrying her bottom lip gently. And then, before she could blink, he was gone. She stared after him in a daze, only slightly aware that he had pressed something into her hand. She looked down, surprised to see her key sitting in her palm.

_A Few Months Later…_

"But _why _him, Sakura-chan?" Naruto sulked into his ramen as he, Sakura and Sasuke sat at Ichiraku. She had just returned from a mission with Itachi and was glowing. Said male was currently across the street, playing Shougi with a yawning Shikamaru. The pink haired girl looked over at him, smiling softly.

"I don't like it, Sakura. He could hurt you." Sasuke glared at her from her left. She only shook her head.

"No, he'd never do anything to hurt me." The younger Uchiha only rolled his eyes.

"I only hope you're happy, Sakura. That's all that matters to me," Sasuke said after catching his brother send the girl an especially gentle look. Naruto snorted.

"I'm still against it, Sakura-chan."

"Look at it this way, Naruto. I feel for him the way you feel for Hinata, and the way Sasuke feels for Ino." The boy only looked at her with soulful blue eyes.

"What is it about him that makes you happy, Sakura-chan?"

"He has my heart. And that Naruto, is the key."

* * *

**Hey, Juniper! Hope you liked it! Thanks for reading and please leave a review!**


End file.
